New Jersey's 5th Congressional District election (June 5, 2018 Republican primary)

Elections in New Jersey, 2018

• General election: Nov. 6
• Voter registration deadline: Oct. 16
• Early voting: Sept. 22 - Nov. 5
• Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6

• Online registration: No
• Same-day registration: No
• Voter ID: No
• Poll times: 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

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2020 → ← 2016
New Jersey's 5th Congressional District
Democratic primary Republican primary General election
Election details
Filing deadline: April 2, 2018
Primary: June 5, 2018 General: November 6, 2018 Pre-election incumbent: Josh Gottheimer (Democrat)
How to vote
Poll times: 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voting in New Jersey
Race ratings
Cook Partisan Voter Index (2018): R+3 Cook Political Report: Likely Democratic Inside Elections: Solid Democratic Sabato's Crystal Ball: Likely Democratic
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
See also
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John McCann defeated Steve Lonegan in the 2018 Republican primary election in New Jersey's 5th Congressional District. He faced incumbent Josh Gottheimer (D) in a district Donald Trump won in the 2016 election.

Both candidates embraced Trump and accused the other of insufficient loyalty to the president and the Republican Party.

Lonegan, the former mayor of Bogota, unsuccessfully sought statewide and congressional seats in New Jersey in the past. He had the support of Tea Party-connected figures like U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) but faced criticism from McCann for working on Cruz's 2016 presidential election, where he was a regular critic of then-candidate Donald Trump.

McCann had the support of former Trump White House official Sebastian Gorka and groups like Students for Trump and Stump for Trump. Despite his associations with Trump's orbit, McCann opposed the 2017 tax bill -- arguably the president's signature legislative achievement. Lonegan criticized McCann for working for Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino, who switched from the Republican to the Democratic Party in 2016.

Lonegan led McCann in fundraising through the first quarter of 2018, raising $1.3 million to McCann's $170,000. Lonegan loaned himself $1 million, while McCann loaned himself $125,000.

Trump beat Hillary Clinton by 1.1 points in the district in the 2016 presidential election, which was the same year that Gottheimer was first elected when he defeated incumbent Scott Garrett (R) by 4.4 points.

New Jersey voter? Dates you need to know.
Primary election	June 5, 2018
Candidate filing deadline	April 2, 2018
Registration deadline	May 15, 2018
Absentee application deadline	May 29, 2018
General election	November 6, 2018
Voting information
Primary type	Semi-closed
Early voting deadline	June 4, 2018
Polling locations: Go to this page to find early voting locations and your assigned precinct for election day.

For more on related elections, please see:

• New Jersey's 5th Congressional District election (June 5, 2018 Democratic primary)
• New Jersey's 5th Congressional District election, 2018
• United States House Democratic Party primaries, 2018
• United States House Republican Party primaries, 2018
• Democratic Party primaries in New Jersey, 2018
• Republican Party primaries in New Jersey, 2018

Candidates and election results

John McCann defeated Steve Lonegan in the Republican primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 5 on June 5, 2018.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House New Jersey District 5

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		John McCann	53.0	16,685
		Steve Lonegan	47.0	14,767

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 31,452
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Election updates

Endorsements

• May 8, 2018: The Republican Liberty Caucus endorsed Steve Lonegan.
• March 19, 2018: Former Trump administration official Sebastian Gorka endorsed John McCann.
• March 15, 2018: John McCann won the endorsement of the Passaic County Republican Party over Steve Lonegan by a 19-4 vote.

Campaign finance

• May 16, 2018: Campaign finance disclosures from May 16, 2018, showed the following:
  • Steve Lonegan had raised more than $1.4 million ($1 million was from a personal loan) and had more than $520,000 in cash-on-hand.
  • John McCann had raised more than $185,000 ($125,000 was from a personal loan) and had about $46,000 in cash-on-hand.
• March 31, 2018: Campaign finance disclosures from the first quarter of 2018 showed the following:
  • Steve Lonegan had raised more than $1.3 million ($1 million was from a personal loan) and had more than $700,000 in cash-on-hand.
  • John McCann had raised more than $170,000 ($125,000 was from a personal loan) and had about $113,000 in cash-on-hand.
• January 31, 2018: Campaign finance disclosures for the fourth quarter of 2017 showed Steve Lonegan with $1.2 million in campaign contributions and about $1 million in cash on hand. John McCann had about $140,000 in campaign contributions and about $130,000 in cash on hand.

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

• May 30, 2018: An poll commissioned by Steve Lonegan's campaign showed him leading John McCann by a 46 percent to 27 percent margin. Twenty-seven percent of voters were undecided.

Candidates

Steve Lonegan (R)
Former mayor and gubernatorial candidate

A former mayor of Bogota, New Jersey, who has made several runs for statewide office in the Garden State, Steve Lonegan ran for Congress in 2018. He loaned his campaign more than $1 million and gathered endorsements from a number of elected officials, including U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), whom he backed in the 2016 presidential election. Lonegan was part of the Free the Delegates movement at the 2016 Republican National Convention aimed at denying Donald Trump the party's nomination and replacing him with Cruz. He was named to the National Republican Campaign Committee's Young Guns program in May 2018.

Lonegan supported the 2017 Republican tax bill. All New Jersey members of Congress except for Tom MacArthur (R) voted against the tax bill at least in part because it capped the deduction for state and local taxes at $10,000.

Before running for the 5th Congressional District in 2018, Lonegan ran for the 3rd Congressional District in 2014 (losing to Tom MacArthur in the Republican primary), Senate in 2013 (losing to Cory Booker (D) in the general election), and governor in 2009 (losing to Chris Christie in the Republican primary). About his 2018 run, Lonegan said, "I’ve put my neck out there for the Republican Party whenever they needed me. This is the most winnable race I’ve ever been in, hands down."

Lonegan was first elected as Bogota's mayor in 1995. He became the state director for the New Jersey chapter of Americans for Prosperity in 2006. He graduated from William Paterson College with a B.A. in business administration, and then went on to earn his M.B.A. from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

John McCann (R)
Attorney

An attorney who most recently worked as the general counsel for the Bergen County Sheriff's Office, McCann ran for Congress in 2018. In the Republican primary, he said that he was a stronger candidate than his opponent, Steve Lonegan, to face incumbent Josh Gottheimer (D) in the general election. Supporters of his campaign included former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R), former Trump administration official Sebastian Gorka, and a number of local officials in New Jersey. He loaned his campaign $125,000.

McCann said he was opposed to the 2017 Republican tax bill that almost all U.S. House members from New Jersey, Democrats and Republicans, voted against. He said he considered himself a moderate, but he also tied his campaign to President Donald Trump and his agenda.

McCann has previously worked as a private attorney. In the early years of the Bill Clinton administration, he worked for U.S. Sen. Arlen Spector (R-Penn.) and helped analyze the healthcare bill developed by Hillary Clinton. He received his B.A. in political science from Paces University, his M.A. in government administration from the University of Pennsylvania, and his J.D. from Queens College.

Candidates

See also: Statistics on U.S. Congress candidates, 2018

 Republican primary candidates

• Steve Lonegan
• John McCann ✔

Timeline

• May 30, 2018: An poll commissioned by Steve Lonegan's campaign showed him leading John McCann by a 46 percent to 27 percent margin. Twenty-seven percent of voters were undecided.
• May 16, 2018: Campaign finance disclosures from May 16, 2018, showed the following:
  • Steve Lonegan had raised more than $1.4 million ($1 million was from a personal loan) and had more than $520,000 in cash-on-hand.
  • John McCann had raised more than $185,000 ($125,000 was from a personal loan) and had about $46,000 in cash-on-hand.
• May 8, 2018: The Republican Liberty Caucus endorsed Steve Lonegan.
• April 29, 2018: The editorial board of the New Jersey Star-Ledger called for Steve Lonegan to drop out of the race for allegedly using an anti-LGBTQ slur to insult a Bogota councilman in 2006. McCann's campaign released a statement afterward saying he agreed that Lonegan should withdraw.
• March 31, 2018: Campaign finance disclosures from the first quarter of 2018 showed the following:
  • Steve Lonegan had raised more than $1.3 million ($1 million was from a personal loan) and had more than $700,000 in cash-on-hand.
  • John McCann had raised more than $170,000 ($125,000 was from a personal loan) and had about $113,000 in cash-on-hand.
• March 19, 2018: Former Trump administration official Sebastian Gorka endorsed John McCann.
• March 15, 2018: John McCann won the endorsement of the Passaic County Republican over Steve Lonegan by a 19-4 vote.
• February 22, 2018: Former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) endorsed John McCann in the race.
• February 7, 2018: U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) endorsed Steve Lonegan in the race.
• November 29, 2017: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) endorsed Steve Lonegan in the race.

How did the candidates differ?

Policies

Abortion

• Steve Lonegan: According to Politico, Lonegan's position on abortion was "strictly pro-life." Lonegan's website said, "I am Pro-Life. I believe life begins at conception." According to the New Jersey Star-Ledger, Lonegan previously stated his opposition to abortion in cases of rape or incest.

• John McCann: McCann's website said "I am personally pro-life and believe that Congress should be fighting for every American’s life whether they be in the womb or in old age." Politico reported that McCann "demurs when asked if he would push for more restrictions on abortion, saying he would 'enforce the laws as they are constituted.'"

2017 tax bill

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act signed by President Donald Trump (R) in December 2017 was controversial in New Jersey because it capped state and local income taxes deductions at $10,000. All members of New Jersey's congressional delegation except Rep. Tom MacArthur (R) voted against the bill.

• Steve Lonegan: Lonegan supported the tax bill. He said losses from the state and local income tax cap would be offset by other parts of the bill and that not many residents would be affected.

• John McCann: McCann said the tax bill was "bad for New Jerseyans." He said that while he agreed with the tax bill on a macroeconomic level and wanted the individual provisions made permanent, he wanted the state and local tax deduction restored provided that the revenue losses were offset by spending cuts. He said his biggest concern with losing the state and local deduction was that it could impact the local housing market.

Background checks for firearm purchases

• Steve Lonegan said he opposed universal background checks for gun purchases because they would "add another layer of bureaucracy."

• John McCann said he supported universal background checks for gun purchases.

Campaign strategies and tactics

County lines and candidate slates

McCann secured the endorsements of the Bergen and Passaic County Republican parties, allowing him to be featured on the party line for the ballots in those counties.

Lonegan put together the Republicans Making America Great Again slate of candidates running for positions like freeholder, county executive, and county clerk. Candidates running on the slate included Ada Erik and Marilyn Lichtenberg, both running for West Milford Council.

Electability

McCann argued that Lonegan could not win the general election against Josh Gottheimer, saying, “Steve Lonegan has lost every single race running with the exact same kind of tone. President Trump called him a loser and a nasty guy. It’s classic Lonegan because he’s never achieved anything in his political life. He has no record of success. Period.”

Politico pointed to a number of incidents it suggested would make Lonegan less electable including his criticism of McDonald's for having a Spanish-language billboard, his attempt to make English the official language of Bogota, statements he made about gun violence in Newark during his 2013 campaign for Senate, and statements he made suggesting 9/11 first responders were more likely to file lawsuits.

In December 2017, the Democratic Party did not see either Republican candidate as able to defeat Gottheimer. Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesman Evan Lukaske said, “From reaching across the aisle to solve problems, to working tirelessly to lower taxes and support our veterans and first responders, Representative Gottheimer is in strong position to defeat whomever emerges from this increasingly nasty GOP primary. This is truly a situation of heads we win, tails they lose.”

Dave Wasserman of the Cook Political Report also said that the district tended to be more centrist than conservative leaning and that a Lonegan win in the Republican primary could hurt the Republicans in the general election. He said, "The district has been trending away from Republicans even though it still voted for Donald Trump narrowly. More critically, Lonegan is well-known to voters for mostly the wrong reasons.”

In response, Lonegan said, “This is a Republican district. Every race I’ve ever won it’s been a brutal battle. I’ve put my neck out there for the Republican Party whenever they needed me. This is the most winnable race I’ve ever been in, hands down."

Former Bergen County GOP Chairman Bob Yudin, an ally of Steve Lonegan, said that McCann would be unelectable after he was endorsed by former Trump White House official Sebastian Gorka in March 2018. Yudin said that Gorka's purported ties to a Hungarian nationalist group connected to anti-Semitism and Nazi Germany would hurt McCann's standing among Jewish voters, who made up about nine percent of the District's population as of March 2018.

In April 2018, McCann said he agreed with a call by the New Jersey Star-Ledger for Lonegan to drop out of the race over an anti-LGBTQ slur he used to insult a Bogota councilman in 2006. His campaign said, "Decency matters and Lonegan’s comments go beyond the point of tough 'political talk' and into an area that is beneath the office he is pursuing. With such bigoted hatred against the LGBTQ+ community and people of faith, Lonegan does not represent New Jersey’s values. We join with NJ.com in calling on Lonegan to step aside and drop out of the race."

Lonegan's campaign responded by saying, "If John McCann was any kind of Republican — leave aside conservative — he would be standing with his opponent in the June 5th Republican primary and McCann would be loudly defending Lonegan against the same people who trash President Donald Trump on an almost daily basis."

Lonegan's opposition to Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential campaign

Steve Lonegan supported Ted Cruz in the 2016 presidential election and was involved in the Free the Delegates movement to attempt to deny Trump the Republican Party nomination at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.

McCann criticized Lonegan for his opposition to Trump and released this video showing some of the negative statements Lonegan made about Trump while working for Cruz's campaign and some of the negative statements Trump made about Lonegan in response.

Lonegan expressed his support for Trump when announcing his run for Congress. He told Politico that he was not involved in the Never Trump Movement and that “When Trump got the nomination, I supported him. The more I watch his agenda and the things he’s trying to do. I agree with everything.”

McCann's affiliation with Democratic officials in the Bergen County Sheriff's Office

Steve Lonegan argued that McCann's previous affiliations with Democratic Party officials would make him an unreliable Republican nominee. In an interview with NJ Insider in March 2018, he said that McCann's run was possibly intentionally diverting resources that Lonegan could be using in a challenge of Gottheimer. He said, "McCann...[has] diverted our resources so that we have to go out of our way on our way to get to Gottheimer and run over them in the primary."

John McCann previously worked for Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino as his legal counsel and, according to the Observer, he "was long considered Saudino’s right-hand man." After McCann stopped working for the office, Saudino switched his party affiliation from Republican to Democratic.

“John McCann is a Democrat patronage employee who shares the same values as Liberal Democrat incumbent Congressman Josh Gottheimer,” said Lonegan spokesman Mark Campbell. McCann has emphasized that Saudino was a Republican while he worked for him.

John McCann was endorsed by Bergen County GOP Chairman Paul DiGaetano in September 2017, which ensured he would receive the county party's nomination and be noted that way on the county ballots due to DiGaetano's executive privilege.

Steve Lonegan criticized DiGaetano's endorsement of McCann, saying that he believed that DiGaetano was also associated with the Democratic Party or, at least, was ineffective in his position. “It’s a simple campaign," he said. "I believe Paul DiGaetano and John McCann are in bed with the Democrats. It’s either corrupt, Democrat Party politics or a party based on conservative principals. The people will decide.”

Reaction to Sebastian Gorka's endorsement of John McCann

After former Trump White House official Sebastian Gorka endorsed John McCann in March 2018, Bob Yudin, the former chairman of the Bergen County Republican Party and an ally of Steve Lonegan, criticized McCann, saying, "It’s absolutely despicable. It shows that I have to assume that John McCann approves of this man. This man seems to have sympathy toward fascists and Nazis, and this act of accepting support from him disqualifies John McCann in all ways and manners from being my congressman."

Yudin was referring to Gorka's wearing of a medal bestowed by Vitezi Rend, a Hungarian nationalist group connected to Nazi Germany and possibly implicated in anti-Semitism and the Holocaust during World War II. A spokesman for the group denied that it was anti-Semitic. Another member told NBC that the group was "a politically independent organization with Christian-conservative values that keeps its military traditions. It has never been radical or a fascist group. Its members have always defended the nation's interests and fought for the Hungarian communities."

According to Andras Heisler, the Hungarian vice president of the World Jewish Congress, "Vitezi Rend had a lot of anti-Semitic, racist members. The organization had some members who were actors in the killing of the Jews [during the Holocaust]."

Gorka denied that he had been a member of the group and said he wore the medal to honor his father, who had been a member. Current group members and residents of a Hungarian town where Gorka ran for mayor said that he had been a member of the order.

According to Politico, about nine percent of, or 67,000, District 5 residents were Jewish as of March 2018, giving it the second-highest proportion of Jewish voters among New Jersey's 12 congressional districts. Yudin, who is Jewish, suggested that nominating McCann would give the GOP a weak general election candidate, saying “The Jewish voters, in the general election, if it comes to that, will come out en masse against John McCann.”

McCann tax liens

Lonegan criticized McCann for having $140,000 in tax liens against him. McCann said that the tax liens were the result of complications from insurance payments related to his wife's medical practice.

Campaign advertisements

Steve Lonegan

Lonegan began airing this television ad in May 2018.

"Steve Lonegan May 2018 TV Ad," released May 11, 2018

"I Believe," released August 24, 2017

John McCann

Steve Lonegan is anti-Trump and can’t beat the Democrats. He’s just an embarrassment.

Watch my latest TV ad on air TODAY in #NJ5: pic.twitter.com/K5e9xhfDr3

— John McCann (@realJohnMcCann) May 21, 2018

During the 2016 election, @Lonegan was a die-hard Never Trumper.

Elect me and I will be a fighter for the America First Agenda.

Move over, Losin' Lonegan! pic.twitter.com/73JHOP5HBh

— John McCann (@realJohnMcCann) February 5, 2018

Broken borders and sanctuary cities are destroying AMERICAN lives!

Enough excuses. I’m going to Washington to clean up this mess and support President @realDonaldTrump!#DrainTheSwamp #MAGA 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/9CwwoekTrC

— John McCann (@realJohnMcCann) January 22, 2018

Satellite spending

• New Jersey Family First spent about $3,200 supporting John McCann on May 30.

Campaign finance

Campaign finance disclosures from May 16, 2018, showed the following:

• Steve Lonegan had raised more than $1.4 million ($1 million was from a personal loan) and had more than $520,000 in cash-on-hand.
• John McCann had raised more than $185,000 ($125,000 was from a personal loan) and had about $46,000 in cash-on-hand.

Campaign finance disclosures from the first quarter of 2018 showed the following:

• Steve Lonegan had raised more than $1.3 million ($1 million was from a personal loan) and had more than $700,000 in cash-on-hand.
• John McCann had raised more than $170,000 ($125,000 was from a personal loan) and had about $113,000 in cash-on-hand.

The table below contains data from FEC Quarterly January 2018 reports. It includes only candidates who have reported at least $10,000 in campaign contributions as of December 31, 2017. Republicans

Lonegan vs. McCann

As of May 2018, Lonegan had a more than $1.2 million spending advantage over McCann. With personal loans excluded, he had raised $419,803 to McCann's $61,155. Lonegan brought in $72,000 from out-of-state donors, including Richard Uihlein. McCann's donors were all local.

"I've attracted money from all over the country and I've also raised more money from inside the district than McCann," Lonegan said. "I've solidified my conservative bona fides."

"He's tied to special interests and not the district," McCann responded. "Steve has spent his whole career in search of a place to get elected. He's not looking to represent the people; he's looking to represent himself."

Endorsements

Know of an endorsement? Email us at editor@ballotpedia.org.

Republican candidate endorsements
Endorsement	Date	Lonegan	McCann
National figures
Sebastian Gorka, former deputy assistant to President Trump	March 19, 2018		✔
Former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R)	February 22, 2018		✔
Steve Forbes, editor-in-chief of Forbes Magazine	February 14, 2018	✔
Darrell Scott, CEO of Donald Trump's National Diversity Coalition	February 8, 2018		✔
U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.)	February 7, 2018	✔
Corey Lewandwoski and Dave Bossie, former Trump campaign officials	January 31, 2018	✔
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas)	November 29, 2017	✔
State figures
Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi (R)	February 1, 2018	✔
2017 Lieutenant Gubernatorial candidate Carlos Rendo	December 14, 2017		✔
State Sen. Mike Doherty (R)	November 30, 2017	✔
State Sen. Gerald Cardinale (R)	November 30, 2017	✔
Local figures
Former Bergen County Freeholder John Felice	March 1, 2018		✔
Former Bergen County Freeholder John Driscoll	March 1, 2018		✔
Mahwah Councilman Robert Hermansen	March 1, 2018		✔
Sussex County Sheriff Michael Strada	February 21, 2018		✔
Nutley Commissioner Steve Rogers	January 24, 2018		✔
Sussex County Freeholder Sylvia Petillo	January 28, 2018	✔
Sussex County Freeholder Herbert Yardley	January 28, 2018	✔
Former Sussex County Freeholder Phil Crabb	January 28, 2018	✔
Warren County Freeholder Richard Gardner	December 19, 2017	✔
Warren County Freeholder Ed Smith	December 19, 2017	✔
Warren County Freeholder Jason Sarnoski	December 19, 2017	✔
Bergen County GOP Chairman Paul DiGaetano	September 7, 2017		✔
Bob Yudin, former Bergen County GOP chairman	Unknown	✔
Organizations
Stump for Trump	May 9, 2018		✔
Republican Liberty Caucus	May 8, 2018	✔
Passaic County Republican Party	March 15, 2018		✔
Students for Trump	March 5, 2018		✔

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

Interal polls

New Jersey's 5th Congressional District Republican primary
Poll	Poll sponsor	Steve Lonegan	John McCann	Undecided	Margin of error	Sample size
Victory Polls (May 22-23, 2018)	Lonegan Campaign	46%	27%	27%	+/-4.4	500
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Campaign themes and policy stances

Steve Lonegan

Lonegan’s campaign website stated the following:

“	The Issues I want you to know what I believe. Not only do I state below my positions on some of the most important issues of the day, but I pledge to do what I say I’m going to do if I am fortunate enough to be elected as your next congressman. I have spent my entire adult life raising a family, building businesses, and volunteering thousands of hours on behalf of the taxpayers, families, and seniors of New Jersey. As your congressman, I will work tirelessly to curtail the power and scope of government so every American can achieve his or her highest possible potential. I pledge as your congressman to solve any problems you might encounter with the state, local, or Federal Government. I support President Trump’s agenda to create jobs, generate higher wages, and Make America Great Again. Put an End to Sanctuary Cities: Oppose Illegal Immigration and Support LEGAL Immigration Our laws must be enforced everywhere in the United States. We must stop liberal Democrat efforts to create sanctuary cities that promote lawlessness and become havens for criminals. Congress must pass comprehensive changes to our current immigration laws. I support President Trump’s efforts to secure our borders and, yes, I would vote to fund the wall with Mexico and would pay for it by cutting foreign aid to countries like Saudi Arabia and others who actively work against us. Term Limits First, if we are going to be serious about “draining the swamp” you and I need to stop career politicians from having a stranglehold on Washington D.C. That means term limits. I support term limits and have already signed the U.S. Term Limits Amendment Pledge. Let’s return America to a nation of citizen legislators that represent our interests. The Economy: Cut Taxes, Create Jobs I am a thoughtful conservative. That means I will fight to cut your taxes whenever possible, especially for working families. I have pledged to never raise taxes (Americans for Tax Reform’s Taxpayer Protection Pledge) unless necessary to fund an Act of War passed by Congress to defend our nation. I will work to simplify the tax code, slash regulations that kill job creation, and cut the size of the bloated bureaucracy. I would like nothing better than the opportunity to eliminate the IRS! If America is to realize powerful GDP growth rates like 4, 5, 6% or even more, Congress will need to cut the corporate tax rate. I will support President Trump’s effort to do just that. These are important steps in unleashing the power of the free enterprise system that has driven New Jersey’s tremendous growth and prosperity that made New Jersey such a great place to live and raise a family. Support for our Seniors and Veterans Congress must honor the oath they took to take care of our seniors and veterans. We must guarantee a safe and secure retirement for all current and soon to be seniors and veterans. The horror stories we hear about so many VA Hospitals are unacceptable. We must honor, respect, and protect all seniors and veterans. It is outrageous that an illegal alien can gain entry to the United States, hide in a sanctuary city, and gain access to healthcare more easily and quickly than a veteran can from the VA. We must vastly improve the customer service of the Social Security Administration, which is often impossible to deal with successfully. Education Education is about children, parents, teachers, and local school boards -- not bureaucrats in Washington D.C. I opposeCommon Core Curriculum Standards, which do little but dumb-down our public schools. I believe we should eliminate the Federal Department of Education established by President Jimmy Carter in the 1970s as a political payoff to the Teachers’ Union for Supporting his Presidential Campaign. Education is an issue best dealt with at the local level. I strongly support public, parochial, private, and religious school choice. Education dollars should follow the child. Parents should be allowed to pursue the best and highest quality education for their children regardless of how much money they make or where they live. Competition for education dollars will improve all schools, in the same fashion that competition improves all other aspects of our lives. Pro-Life I am Pro-Life. I believe life begins at conception. The Second Amendment I am pro–Second Amendment. I believe all law-abiding U.S. citizens have a right to bear arms, protect their families, and defend their property. Replace Obamacare Obamacare is one of the worst pieces of legislation ever enacted in the history of the United States. It is a massive step toward socialism, and has completely and totally failed to provide what was promised. Because of Obamacare, healthcare costs have risen, premiums have drastically increased, and choice of medical professionals and doctors has shrunk. I organized some of the largest anti-Obamacare rallies in the nation, including the “Code Red” rally in 2010 when we brought thousands of Americans to the steps of the Capitol. I am appalled that Congress has failed to repeal and replace Obamacare and I will work to see this accomplished. A market-driven, patient-choice healthcare system will lower costs for all patients, seniors, and families: Price transparency in all aspects of healthcare to cut costs and create competition Allow the purchase of health insurance across state lines – competition will lower costs Repeal the individual mandate Repeal the employer mandate Eliminate taxes on medical innovation Human Rights and Equality for All I will not tolerate discrimination by the government against anyone — not on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability or any other matter that violates an individual’s Equal Protection rights. There is no place in our democracy for hatred of anyone seeking life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness within the law. The Constitution I understand the Constitution, its importance, and I will use all my energy to uphold that vital document. Religious Liberty and Freedom of Speech I believe in God, and am proud to say it. Our nation is based on the historic understanding that we the people derive our most fundamental rights from God and not from the benevolence of government. The Founders understood that if you and I were governed under a godless society where our rights came from government that these rights could be easily repealed by that government. Failing to uphold that belief destroys our constitutional protections. Simply put, in a humanist, secularist, atheistic society promoted by the left, the government can take away our rights with ease. We need our great Constitution to keep the government under control. I will not tolerate big government intrusions into our lives. I will fight, with all legal strength, to maintain our precious rights of free speech and assembly. American citizens should never be afraid to speak their minds. There are many ideas that are abhorrent to me, but I will fight – without fear – to protect their rights to voice those ideas. Conservative is not a four-letter word and hate is not a Republican value. Infrastructure Improvements to Create Jobs I support President Trump’s vision for a comprehensive national infrastructure project. We have spent six trillion dollars on military action in the Middle East and countless billions of dollars on foreign aid: building roads and bridges in countries that hate us. You and I need to invest in our own country. This investment will be a huge boost in building our economy. The Military I fully support our men and women in uniform and will vote to fund the development and maintenance of the most advanced, well-equipped military possible. It is essential we invest in rebuilding our armed forces so we can protect our shipping routes that are critical to American trade and economic strength. Protecting our National Security The Federal Government’s core function is to protect its citizens, which is why I support a strong and vigorous national defense. If the choice is to fight the terrorists here or abroad, well, that’s an easy one – we must fight and destroy them where they are. That does not mean I support “nation building,” but it does mean that as your congressman I will use all efforts to ensure we search for and find terrorists wherever they may walk, run, train, burrow, harbor, sneak, snake, or hide. Pro-Israel 100% Israel is a great ally, and United States leadership needs to support this nation with unwavering loyalty. The Obama administration was a miserable failure in its relationship with Israel. This was unacceptable, and Donald Trump has already straightened out this Obama miscue. Congress must generate and implement policies that are favorable to the strength and security of Israel. Iran Nuclear Deal – A Disaster Iran, via its political and religious leaders (not all its citizens), is one of the most frightening nations on the planet. Its leaders are, in their totality, Islamic radicals who deplore Americans and all Western culture. They have threatened to wipe Israel – one of our greatest allies – off the Earth and they directly threatened the United States. This country cannot be permitted to develop nuclear weaponry. The Iran Nuclear Deal, orchestrated by Barack Obama, does just that. Equality, Not Affirmative Action I would like to live in a country where there is complete equality, where there are no quotas, where one race or class of people is not afforded better opportunities over another. If I lived during the years where slavery was legal, I would have died as an abolitionist to end that despicable practice. If old enough in the 1950s and 1960s, I would’ve marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights movement. I believe in equality and equal rights, not special rights for a select few. Cut Government Waste and Audit Every Dime the Government Spends The Federal Government is bloated and far supersedes its constitutional authority. It should have no role in healthcare, education, and any regulatory agencies that aren’t definitively authorized by the Constitution. These federal authorities duplicate numerous agencies that exist at the state level. All the federal “Alphabet Soup” Agencies should be abolished, which would save the U.S. billions upon billions of dollars annually. Protection of our Personal Liberties There’s nothing more important than protection of our personal liberties. Our rights – which were obtained through the intelligence, courage and, in many cases, lives, of our Founding Fathers and the patriots that fought with them – are what launched the United States as the world’s first true democracy. States’ Rights – So Very Important Right now, with the Federal Government so economically and politically “big”, an oxymoron exists: a very, very small amount of people have an absolute massive amount of power. The Federal Government, through the executive branch, Congress, and nine U.S. Supreme Court justices preside over – and determine – almost all the laws that govern us. If all the powers not granted to the Federal Government in our Constitution were left to the individual states, as was the clear intention of the U.S. Constitution, these very, very few people would have very, very little power. This is because the state legislatures of 50 states (which equals thousands of allegedly “less important” people) would be making the key decisions instead. To provide the true power to the people, as was intended by the drafters of the U.S. Constitution, the Federal Government needs a hefty trimming. As your congressman, I will use all efforts to have the rights guaranteed in the Tenth Amendment enforced, whereby the vast majority of governmental decisions will be left to the states. Overhaul Welfare to Workfare Unless a person is truly medically unable to work, he/she should not receive any monetary assistance from the government except where he/she performs actual work in exchange for the monies (e.g. – clerical work, computer work, picks up trash, etc.). Dodd-Frank Regulations The dangerous Dodd-Frank bill was a liberal knee jerk reaction to the 2007 Wall Street meltdown that is choking the flow of capital to businesses, especially harming small businesses and consumers. The massive bureaucracy established under this economy-destroying legislation is killing opportunity, puts enormous power in the hands of unaccountable bureaucrats, and has incalculable unintended consequences. I will vote to repeal Dodd-Frank.	”
—Steve Lonegan’s campaign website (2018)

John McCann

McCann’s campaign website stated the following:

“	Jobs, Jobs, Jobs Too many Americans are unemployed, underemployed or working undesirable jobs. That’s why I’m running for Congress. Taxes I will work to make the tax code more favorable to small businesses which are the backbone of the nation’s economy. It’s time that Congress put Main Street before Wall Street. Since historic tax cuts passed, New Jersey residents are concerned about the elimination of the SALT (state and local tax) deduction. Elect me to Congress and I will work to fix this pertinent concern. Trade We’ve all heard the arguments for free and fair trade. Like the President, I am for America First trade. We need to reevaluate trade deals to see what benefits America first. We’ve been taken advantage of too often on the world stage—while your jobs have been shipped off to other countries. As your Congressman I will never vote for a bill that guts American jobs and creates a negative trade balance. All trade deals need to protect jobs, grow the economy, and forge good diplomatic relations around the world. Immigration and Border Security As Americans, we are proud of our rich immigrant history and understand the need to reform immigration law. But New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy plans to make New Jersey a Sanctuary State for illegal immigrants—handcuffing law enforcement from working with federal immigration officials to arrest illegal immigrants convicted of VIOLENT CRIMES living in our communities. How could the Democrats be so irresponsible? Sanctuary City laws endanger our communities, and I will not stand by as politicians posture for reelection risking you and your loved ones’ lives. Our incredible state cannot be a sanctuary for violent criminals. Proud of my immigrant heritage, I will lead the fight in Congress to protect our families by: Stopping the liberal Democrats in the D.C. and NJ swamps from blocking our President’s commonsense plan to fight illegal immigration. Working to secure the border and ports of entry. Blocking terrorist, gangs, and drugs from entering this country. Voting to end the Diversity Visa Lottery and Chain Migration. Working to create Merit-Based immigration so we’re only taking in the best and brightest from around the world. Securing our border and protecting Americans shouldn’t come down to partisan politics. It is our government’s primary job to protect Americans but they have been failing us, year after year. Let’s elected someone who will finally fight to protect all of our country’s citizens. Healthcare In the 1990s when Hillarycare (the precursor to Obamacare) was being prepped to pass, I worked as a young staff member in the United States Senate to expose Hillarycare as a fraud perpetrated on the American people. As a business owner, I’m committed to bringing a market-based approach to healthcare. You need better access to the doctors of your choice. You need better care for whatever health challenges you face. You need to be unburdened from crippling insurance rates. As Congressman, I will finish the job of repealing and replacing Obamacare with a market-based approach that improves access to quality, affordable healthcare. I will also fight the current deathgrip Big Pharma has on D.C. politicians and will work to drive down costs and drive up care. Let’s bring back medical freedom so you can get about living. Second Amendment The Second Amendment is personal for me—since 1981 when my veteran father was a victim of domestic terrorism. Shot by members of a domestic terror organization while working for Brinks, my father’s—and our family’s life—was never the same. Without the ability to defend our homes and our families, we can never truly be free. The Founding Fathers provided Americans with the freedom to exercise this right to keep and bear arms without governmental infringement. Our inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are protected by the Second Amendment. Guns can save lives. This is why I will always fight to defend Second Amendment rights from liberal politicians in Washington and Trenton. Foreign Policy Support our military As our incredible Defense Secretary James Mattis has said, “No enemy in the field has done more to harm the readiness of our military than sequestration.” I will work with our President to invest in our military so they are fully equipped to protect our great country and our allies. We must roll back the Obama Administration’s cuts to defense spending—which have crippled our ability to defend ourselves, forcing our incredible servicemen and women to use outdated equipment. Jerusalem as Capital of Israel When President Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, I applauded this historic decision. After eight years of the Obama Administration’s anti-Israel policies, it’s time to restore our unwavering support and defense of Israel—our greatest ally. North Korea In order to truly Make America Safe Again, we must address North Korean aggression. When you send me to Congress, I will work with our President to stop North Korea from becoming a nuclear power. We must strengthen our support for allies in the region as well as use economic influence to spur action by the Chinese government. Rocket Man is no match for American leadership. Iran The Obama Administration’s Iran deal is a national disgrace—rolling back sanctions on the Iranian regime as the nation continues to be a state sponsor of terrorism, advancing both ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs. I will work with our President to address all national security threats as we fight to eradicate radical Islamic terror. Education I believe in school choice. Whether you want your kids in public school, private, charter or homeschool, I believe you—not some D.C. swamp creature—should be making the best decision for your family. Infrastructure Our country is far behind other countries in updating our infrastructure. I believe this issue may be one of the few bipartisan issues left that we can all agree to work on to improve our communities. Through private-public partnerships, I know we can update our infrastructure and make it state-of-the-art. Life On January 19, Congress voted on the “Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act,” making it the law of the land that a doctor must provide medical care to babies who survive botched abortions. While the bill passed the House, Rep. Gottheimer voted NO on protecting these poor children. What kind of man votes in favor of letting babies born outside the womb die? I am personally pro-life and believe that Congress should be fighting for every American’s life whether they be in the womb or in old age. Whether they be healthy or suffering from disabilities. As your Congressman, I will fight to ensure the government has a responsibility to protect the sanctity of life—one of our constitutional, Creator-endowed inalienable rights. Opioid epidemic I have met too many families who have lost husbands, wives and children to the deadly opioid epidemic. It’s time we as Americans fight this life-altering crisis together—discovering better ways to treat chronic pain. By exploring non-addictive medications and holistic treatments to actually help patients get better, we will empower our fellow Americans to return to full and active lives, enjoying our inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Big Pharma has a powerful grip on politicians—but I can never be bought. I will fight for the best solutions for you—not some lobbyist’s bottomline. We also need to cut off the illegal drug supply pouring across our border that is poisoning our youth. By securing our Southern border, we will stop the illegal flow and access to deadly drugs.	”
—John McCann’s campaign website (2018)

Democratic district won by Donald Trump

See also: U.S. House districts represented by a Democrat and won by Donald Trump in 2016 and Split-ticket districts in the 2016 presidential and U.S. House elections

This district was one of 13 Democratic-held U.S. House districts that Donald Trump (R) won in the 2016 presidential election. Some were expected to be among the House's most competitive elections in 2018.

2018 election results in Democratic-held U.S. House districts won by Donald Trump in 2016
District	Incumbent	2018 winner	2018 margin	2016 presidential margin	2012 presidential margin
Arizona's 1st	Tom O'Halleran	Tom O'Halleran	D+7.7	Trump+1.1	Romney+2.5
Iowa's 2nd	Dave Loebsack	Dave Loebsack	D+12.2	Trump+4.1	Obama+13.1
Illinois' 17th	Cheri Bustos	Cheri Bustos	D+23.6	Trump+0.7	Obama+17.0
Minnesota's 1st	Tim Walz	Jim Hagedorn	R+0.4	Trump+14.9	Obama+1.4
Minnesota's 7th	Collin Peterson	Collin Peterson	D+4.3	Trump+30.8	Romney+9.8
Minnesota's 8th	Rick Nolan	Pete Stauber	R+5.5	Trump+15.6	Obama+5.5
New Hampshire's 1st	Carol Shea-Porter	Chris Pappas	D+11.7	Trump+1.6	Obama+1.6
New Jersey's 5th	Josh Gottheimer	Josh Gottheimer	D+11.7	Trump+1.1	Romney+3.1
Nevada's 3rd	Jacky Rosen	Susie Lee	D+9.1	Trump+1.0	Obama+0.8
New York's 18th	Sean Patrick Maloney	Sean Patrick Maloney	D+10.2	Trump+1.9	Obama+4.3
Pennsylvania's 8th	Matt Cartwright	Matt Cartwright	D+9.2	Trump+9.6	Obama+11.9
Pennsylvania's 14th	Conor Lamb	Guy Reschenthaler	R+15.9	Trump+29.0	Romney+17.7
Wisconsin's 3rd	Ron Kind	Ron Kind	D+19.4	Trump+4.5	Obama+11.0

Click here to see the 25 Republican-held U.S. House districts that Hillary Clinton (D) won.

Click here to see an overview of all split-ticket districts in the 2016 presidential and U.S. House elections.

Race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Race ratings: New Jersey's 5th Congressional District election, 2018
Race tracker	Race ratings
	October 30, 2018	October 23, 2018	October 16, 2018	October 9, 2018
The Cook Political Report	Likely Democratic	Likely Democratic	Likely Democratic	Likely Democratic
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball	Likely Democratic	Likely Democratic	Likely Democratic	Likely Democratic
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks throughout the election season.

District analysis

See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index

See also: FiveThirtyEight's elasticity scores

The 2017 Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was R+3, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were 3 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made New Jersey's 5th Congressional District the 217th most Republican nationally.

FiveThirtyEight's September 2018 elasticity score for states and congressional districts measured "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." This district's elasticity score was 1.09. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 1.09 points toward that party.

State overview

Partisan control

This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in New Jersey heading into the 2018 elections.

Congressional delegation

• Democrats held both U.S. Senate seats in New Jersey.
• Democrats held seven of 12 U.S. House seats in New Jersey, and Republicans held five.

State executives

• As of May 2018, Democrats held five of 14 state executive positions. The other nine positions were held by nonpartisan officials.
• The governor of New Jersey was Democrat Phil Murphy.

State legislature

• Democrats controlled both chambers of the New Jersey State Legislature. They had a 54-26 majority in the state Assembly and a 25-15 majority in the state Senate.

Trifecta status

• New Jersey was a Democratic trifecta, meaning that the Democratic Party held the governorship, a majority in the state Senate, and a majority in the state Assembly.

2018 elections

See also: New Jersey elections, 2018

New Jersey held elections for the following positions in 2018:

• The Class 1 U.S. Senate seat held by Bob Menendez (D)
• All 12 U.S. House seats
• Local judicial offices
• Local school boards
• Municipal elections in Newark and Essex County

Demographics

Demographic data for New Jersey
	New Jersey	U.S.
Total population:	8,935,421	316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):	7,354	3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:	68.3%	73.6%
Black/African American:	13.5%	12.6%
Asian:	9%	5.1%
Native American:	0.2%	0.8%
Pacific Islander:	0%	0.2%
Two or more:	2.5%	3%
Hispanic/Latino:	19%	17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:	88.6%	86.7%
College graduation rate:	36.8%	29.8%
Income
Median household income:	$72,093	$53,889
Persons below poverty level:	12.7%	11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in New Jersey. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

As of July 2016, New Jersey had a population of approximately 9 million people, and its three largest cities were New Jersey (pop. est. 283,000), Jersey City (pop. est. 265,000), and Paterson (pop. est. 147,000).

State election history

This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in New Jersey from 2000 to 2016.

Historical elections

Presidential elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the presidential election in New Jersey every year from 2000 to 2016.

Election results (President of the United States), New Jersey 2000-2016
Year	First-place candidate	First-place candidate votes (%)	Second-place candidate	Second-place candidate votes (%)	Margin of victory (%)
2016	Hillary Clinton	55.5%	Donald Trump	41.4%	14.1%
2012	Barack Obama	58.4%	Mitt Romney	40.6%	17.8%
2008	Barack Obama	57.2%	John McCain	41.7%	15.5%
2004	John Kerry	52.9%	George W. Bush	46.2%	6.7%
2000	Al Gore	56.1%	George W. Bush	40.3%	15.8%

U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in New Jersey from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.

Election results (U.S. Senator), New Jersey 2000-2016
Year	First-place candidate	First-place candidate votes (%)	Second-place candidate	Second-place candidate votes (%)	Margin of victory (%)
2014	Cory Booker	55.8%	Jeff Bell	42.3%	13.5%
2012	Bob Menendez	58.9%	Joseph Kyrillos	39.4%	19.5%
2008	Frank Lautenberg	56.0%	Dick Zimmer	42.0%	14.0%
2006	Bob Menendez	53.3%	Thomas Kean Jr.	44.3%	9.0%
2002	Frank Lautenberg	53.9%	Doug Forrester	44.0%	9.9%
2000	Jon Corzine	50.1%	Bob Franks	47.1%	3.0%

Gubernatorial elections, 2001-2017

This chart shows the results of the five gubernatorial elections held between 2001 and 2017. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in New Jersey, and, unlike most states, they take place in odd years.

Election results (Governor), New Jersey 2000-2016
Year	First-place candidate	First-place candidate votes (%)	Second-place candidate	Second-place candidate votes (%)	Margin of victory (%)
2017	Phil Murphy	56.0%	Kim Guadagno	41.9%	14.1%
2013	Chris Christie	60.3%	Barbara Buono	38.2%	22.1%
2009	Chris Christie	48.5%	Jon Corzine	44.9%	3.6%
2005	Jon Corzine	53.5%	Doug Forrester	43.0%	10.5%
2001	Jim McGreevey	56.4%	Bret Schundler	41.7%	14.7%

Congressional delegation, 2000-2016

This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent New Jersey in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.

Congressional delegation, New Jersey 2000-2016
Year	Republicans	Republicans (%)	Democrats	Democrats (%)	Balance of power
2016	5	41.7%	7	58.3%	D+2
2014	6	50.0%	6	50.0%	Even
2012	6	50.0%	6	50.0%	Even
2010	6	46.2%	7	53.8%	D+1
2008	5	38.5%	8	61.5%	D+3
2006	6	46.2%	7	53.8%	D+1
2004	6	46.2%	7	53.8%	D+1
2002	6	46.2%	7	53.8%	D+1
2000	6	46.2%	7	53.8%	D+1

Trifectas, 1992-2018

A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.

New Jersey Party Control: 1992-2025
Fourteen years of Democratic trifectas  •  Eight years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25
Governor	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D
Senate	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	S	S	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D
Assembly	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D

,

See also

• United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey, 2018
• United States House elections in New Jersey (June 5, 2018 Republican primaries)
• New Jersey's 5th Congressional District election (June 5, 2018 Democratic primary)
• United States House of Representatives elections, 2018

Footnotes

[show]

New Jersey's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Cory Booker (D)

Andrew Kim (D)

Representatives

District 1

Donald Norcross (D)

District 2

Jeff Van Drew (R)

District 3

Herbert Conaway (D)

District 4

Chris Smith (R)

District 5

Josh Gottheimer (D)

District 6

Frank Pallone (D)

District 7

Thomas Kean (R)

District 8

Robert Menendez (D)

District 9

Nellie Pou (D)

District 10

LaMonica McIver (D)

District 11

Mikie Sherrill (D)

District 12

Bonnie Coleman (D)

Democratic Party (11)

Republican Party (3)

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